Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1887-01-01
wAPRETTY GIRL woNA HUSBAND.
But This Is Not Always a Safe Precedent
for Pretty Girls to Follow.

for Pretty Girls to Follow.
A reporter of the Washington Re-
publican is responsible for the follow
ing interesting story:
"The life Of a government clerk is
at best monotonous one, as in nearly
all the departments the clerks have
the same routine work day after day."
said a venerable treasury clerk, "and
when there is bit of gossip to relieve
the monotony of his life, it is taken up
with arelish and is retoid till it blossoms
out in many different forms"
What is disturbing the monotony
l., - Z" inquired the reporter.
Well, am getting to that, Six
years ago last March, bright eyed,
rosy-cheCked young fellow of twenty
two received an appointment through
political influence in the division am
employed in. You know that was the
days before civil service reform. He
was quick and intelligent, and it was
not long before he was as familiar
with the work as the oldest clerk in the
Office. For year or so he was a most
efficient clerk, and was on time. With
sorrow l began to notice that he was
becoming dissipated that his work
was behind, and instead of the frank,
independent expression that he had
when he first came in the office, was
careless, devil-niay-care sort of a look.
demonstrated with him and told him
he would be dismissed, and justly, too,
if he did not shake the companions he
was associating with. His only reply
was: 81 cau take care of myself; you
needn't fret about me- His downfall
didn't surprise me much, for / had
seen numher Of yopng men go just
his way who la M into the depart
ment honest ac Young fellows, and
leave it broken down in health, and
careless as to how they made their liv-
ing. Thing wo9 on his way until
the present admli ,ration came into
power, and the lea~ of the different
bureaus We're chan ed. Consequently.
a great number Of AeW clerks came in.
Among the~ was pretty young lady
with large brown eyes and a fascinat.
Ing smile. The clerks both male and
female, Immediately took to her, and
she became a general fayorite. The
young men in the Office never lostan
opportunity to have a few minutes
chat with her, but that is as far as it
ever went. Though she treated all
pleasantly none were ever invited to
call on her. The young fellow / spoke
about had gotten so that he seldom had
anything to say to any one. In the
course of time he made the acquaint-
ance of the pretty young clerk, and
that evening one of the older ladies,
with the best intentions in the world,
told the young lady not to get too init
mate with that man, as he was consid-
cred rounder, or, in other words
dissipated.
"She said she liked him, and thought
there was great deal of good in him
If he had the proper encouragement.
He seemed to be gentleman, and that
if he did anything wrong it was only
through earelessness. After this the
two young people were together con-
stantiy when not at the Office, and a
most wonderful change came over him.
He stopped drinking, attended to his
work with a will, and, when not some
where with her of an evening stayed in
his room and read. was pleased to
note the change; and knew that all
would come out we'll She had only
been III the Office about six months
when he came to me one day and said
he was going to resign, as his salary
was not sufficient to support wife as
he would like to, and he had secured
position as bookkeeper in wholesale
grocery house in New York. He went
away. and | heard nothing from him.
We often spoke of him at the Office
but no one ever dared ask the young
lady clerk about him for they remem-
bered how she went for the old lady
who spoke of him to her Several
weeks since / was surprised when the
young lady came to me, as the young
man had before, and said she would be
pleased if | would send in her resigna-
ton to the secretary. | asked jokingly
if she was going to be married. She
blushingly admitted she was. but would
not say to whom. l suspected and felt
pleased. One afternoon she and her
husband called to see me, and it proved
to be the young man l suspected. He
told me he had been very fortunate
since leaving the Office, and was now
head bookkeeper for the concern to
which he want from tho denartment